LOCAL MOTORSPORTS: Thunder on the Hill celebrates 25th season in spectacular style

The large crowd on hand was thrilled by two spectacular feature events Tuesday night at the Grandview Speedway, as the “Thunder on the Hill” Racing Series celebrated its 25th season. Greg Hodnett won the 35-lap Pennsylvania Sprint Speed Week 410 sprint feature event presented by MACH1 Chassis, as Duane Howard rebounded after a wild crash Saturday night to win the Pioneer Pole Buildings Race of Champions 60-lap feature event.

Both features were spectacular, with the winners being decided on the final laps. For the 112th event in Thunder on the Hill Racing, a total purse in excess of $50,000 was paid to the two divisions.

Hodnett, driving the Mike Heffner sprint car, set the early pace followed by Darren Mollenoyux and Lucas Wolfe. By lap seven, Wolfe was second and chasing down Hodnett.

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Alan Krimes and Danny Dietrich were on their way to the front of the pack. On lap 14, Wolfe caught Hodnett and staged the first challenge for the lead with Alan Krimes racing in third.

As the halfway point of the race, Hodnett, Wolfe, Danny Dietrich, Krimes and Mollenoyux were the top five. On lap 19, Dietrich used the outside lane to move into second, and he began to chase down the leader.

On lap 24, there were three cars racing under a blanket for the lead with Hodnett, Dietrich and Dewease in a battle. Lap after lap, Dietrich rode the outside boiler-plate as he challenged Hodnett for the lead.

Dietrich made a challenge for the lead lap after lap; then on lap 28, Wolfe moved into second. Wolfe now challenged for the lead, and with just two laps to go, Hodnett and Wolfe crossed the line side-by-side. Hodnett held off the challenges of Wolfe to score his seventh career Thunder on the Hill victory and collected $5,000.

In the 60-lap PPB Race of Champions feature, pole sitter Stew Friesen led the first lap with Rick Laubach taking the top spot on lap two. The one and only caution flag of the race came out on lap two for Craig VonDohren, who had a flat tire.

On the restart, Friesen remained the leader with Laubach in the hunt. MeMe DeSantis passed Laubach for second on lap five, but one lap later Laubach returned to second. Howard, who flipped violently on Saturday night, was in the hunt and running third.

On lap 15, a three-car battle for the lead was unfolding between Friesen, Laubach and Howard. As the leaders approached lapped traffic, Friesen appeared to have an edge, pulling away from the rest of the field.

As the field approached the halfway point of the race, Jeff Strunk was now reeling in the leaders, making it a four car race for win. As the field passed on lap 38, Friesen, Laubach, Howard and Strunk were now surrounded by slower traffic as the four drivers began to duke it out for the lead. Howard moved into second and began to reel in the leader.

It was a new race on lap 40 as Rick Laubach became the new leader; and by lap 42, Howard was second with Friesen third and the hard-charging Strunk running in fourth. With just 10 laps to go, the race became more interesting as Laubach, Howard and Strunk were in the chase for the lead. Howard regained the lead on lap 52, and by lap 56, Laubach was again back on top.

With three laps to go, Laubach, Howard and Strunk were not only dodging each other, but a list of slower cars just ahead of the leaders. On lap 58, Howard took the lead with Laubach and Strunk side-by-side for second. With the checker flag waving, Howard took the victory to collect the $5,000 first place prize.

Rick Laubach finished second followed by Jeff Strunk, Stewart Friesen and Keith Hoffman.